UCM’s SOLIS Book Club : Our pick for Fall 2025

Poll results are in and we have a winner! In Fall 2025, UCM’s SOLIS Book Club will read Life Hacks for a Little Alien, by Alice Franklin. Franklin wrote this book in the second person and, in an interview with NPR’s Scott Simon, Franklin said she “wanted readers of the story to feel as much empathy as possible” with the titular “Little Alien.”
https://youtu.be/GP3OdRWoj5g

Black Boy Joy (B.B. Alston)

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for April 25, 2025 is Black Boy Joy featuring contributor B.B. Alston.

Lola, by Karla Arenas Valenti

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for April 18, 2025 is Lola, by Karla Arenas Valenti.

Autistic Pride : Books for Autism Acceptance Month

Being autistic myself, I’ve read a lot of books by and about people on the autism spectrum. For Autism Acceptance Month, I wanted to share some books that were meaningful for me. Slideshow created in Canva. Music is “Wide Space” by AudioCoffee.

Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renée Watson

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for April 11, 2025 is Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renée Watson, illustrated by Ekua Holmes.

Asexuality Visibility Day (Reading from Rick, by Alex Gino)

To commemorate Asexuality Visibility Day — celebrated each year on April 6 — here is a reading from Rick by Alex Gino.

Rick’s never questioned much. He’s gone along with his best friend, Jeff, even when Jeff’s acted like a bully and a jerk. He’s let his father joke with him about which hot girls he might want to date even though that kind of talk always makes him uncomfortable. And he hasn’t given his own identity much thought, because everyone else around him seemed to have figured it out.

But now Rick’s gotten to middle school, and new doors are opening. One of them leads to the school’s Rainbow Spectrum club, where kids of many genders and identities congregate, including Melissa, the girl who sits in front of Rick in class and seems to have her life together. Rick wants his own life to be that . . . understood. Even if it means breaking some old friendships and making some new ones.
https://youtu.be/Idb2BCzSZpI

Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution (eBook preview)

Presenting … First-chapter Friday, the eBook edition. This month’s selection features Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution, by Sherri Winston.

Cruzita and the Mariacheros, by Ashley Granillo

Each Friday that school is in session, I share the link to a read-aloud preview of a book from SRCSA library. The “First-chapter Friday” selection for April 4, 2025 is Cruzita and the Mariacheros, by Ashley Granillo.